There's been a lot of talk about a recent Quartz article about the entrance of the Silver Lake Shaman, check it out here if you're interested. Essentially, Brooklyn's lumbersexualized hipster has finally left the main stage and is being replaced with a much softer and feminine energy. If this were a George RR Martin world, you could say winter has officially left and we're all taking a vacation in Dorne to celebrate.

I'll be the first to admit, I was a little infatuated with this trend with no name. When I relocated to the West Coast, I was immediately enraptured by the desert-chic interiors and minimalist, handcrafted linen caftans. If I could afford it, you can bet your bottom dollar I'd own a pair of Beatrice Valenzuela slides! And I love using Moon Juice's Brain Dust in my morning tea!

But I'll be honest, as soon as the "Silver Lake Shaman" term was coined- I wanted to reject it. I was a little annoyed that something I liked was being made fun of. On the way to dinner the other night, I announced to my boyfriend in the car that I'm abandoning my current style and from now on I'm only wearing black. To which he replied, "...yeah okay, good luck with that in LA summer." Obviously, I was overreacting.

Once I came down from my Brain Dust fueled frustration, I realized that there is no such thing as a Silver Lake Shaman.... unless it's actually Father John Misty? (Here's his beef with Moon Juice over stealing a crystal.) Sure there are some eccentrics out here, but that goes without saying for any major metropolitan area! I personally believe this is a signal of a bigger movement of embracing light and feminine energy- and lord knows we need it in these times. These are makers, artists, and small business owners who are influenced by their surroundings and working hard to create a sense of community... and now a larger audience is taking notice. That's pretty cool.

Here's my rationale on adopting this trend: I have lived a life that has influenced every part of my self expression. I grew up in Houston and can't deny my nostalgia for a big ol' cowboy boot store. My 4 year stint in Chicago taught me the necessity of function in my fashion- and how to comfortably bike in 15 degree weather. My vacations, my work, my highs and lows have all contributed to how I express myself on the outside. Echo Park might be my newest nest, but it hasn't overwritten my own history. Nobody's personal style cannot be summed up in a few words.

You can enjoy a trend and still embrace your own aesthetic. Wear muslin jumpsuit and carry around those Noah's ark straw bags every day for all you want- as long as you feel confident and sexy and like the badass you are.